Monday, December 15, 2008

Chickpea Crackers

I have been putting off trying this recipe because I don't like the taste of chickpea flour, but my niece was here over Thanksgiving and asked if we had any crackers, so I thought I would give it a try since I had all this stuff on hand. And low and behold, the nutritional yeast totally cuts that bitterness and they were great! They were also really easy. The picture is my son poking the holes in the crackers before baking. He cut the shapes too! I somehow lost the picture of the finished product. I would love to try them with some herbs for extra flavor next time.

Mix all dry ingredients together well. Stir in the oil and begin stirring in water one tablespoon at a time. The amount will depend on the moisture in your flour. When the dough can be formed into a ball, you have added enough water. (I used 4 tablespoons, but your results may be different.

Knead the dough several times to distribute the ingredients, and then roll it in plastic wrap and set it aside while you preheat the oven to 350F. Dust your work area and rolling pin well with the gluten-free flour. After the dough has rested for 10 minutes divide it in half, put half on the floured surface, and sprinkle the top with flour. Roll it out until it is as thin as you can get it and still be able to pick it up. (Mine came out a little less than 1/8 inch thick or about 3 mm.) Cut it into 1x1-inch squares or use a cookie cutter. Place crackers on a non-stick cookie sheet and repeat with other half of dough. Prick each cracker once or twice with a fork (allows for air to escape and keeps them from puffing up). Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to over- or under-bake*. Remove from oven and allow them to cool and become crispy. Test one, and if it's not crispy, return to the oven for a few more minutes. After cooking, keep in a sealed container. If they get soft, a few minutes in a hot oven will return them to crispiness.Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains 63 Calories (kcal); 2g Total Fat; (20% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 172mg Sodium; 2g Fiber.

* Mine baked up much faster, I think only about 7 or 8 minutes. Maybe I had them rolled thinner.